Exploring influence of cultural constructs and social network on cross-cultural learning

Abstract

In this study, we designed an online cross-cultural learning activity for participants from different countries, representing various cultures and speaking diverse languages. The participants interacted and exchanged culture-related information with each other in their native languages. We employed a speech-enabled language translation technology to support participant interaction and information exchange in order to facilitate their cross-cultural learning. We analyzed a social network of participants of cross-cultural learning activity and measured their perceptions related to cultural constructs. Finally, we investigated the relationship between cross-cultural learning and social network characteristics and between cross-cultural learning and cultural constructs. According to our results, first, cross-cultural learning of participants was facilitated in terms of declarative and procedural knowledge of foreign traditions and related culture. Second, Group II had better social network characteristics compared to Group I. Third, our results revealed that there is no relationship exist between cross-cultural learning and cultural constructs. We make several implications based on our results in this paper.